Improvement in pavements



w. KILBURN.

Pavements.

Patented lu1y 15, 1873.

PHocEss UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIcE.

WELLS KILBURN, OF NAPA, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PAVEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,835, dated July 15, 1873; application led March 24, 1873.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that 1,'WELLs KTLEURN, of the city and county of Napa, State of California, have invented an Improvement in the Construction of Street-Pavements; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of lthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and' to the letters marked thereon.

My invention consists, mainly, in forming the blocksor slabs of which the pavement is composed of artificial stone, and laying the blocks in such a manner as to break joints and prevent inequalities in the surface of the pavement vby the settling down of the roadbed when heavily-weighted with traffic.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my pavement; Fig. 2, an end view oi' two blocks with vertical space between. Fig. 3 is also an end view ot' two blocks with V-shaped space.

Thel block A may be formed of artificial stone, and each blook'is provided with a rabbet, B B, above and below, so that the thinner edge of one block rests upon the ledge, shelf, or rabbet of the preceding block, and the whole is bound together in a self-supporting manner when laid with the beveled portion BZ at the end or below the rabbet, fitting closely against the beveled face of the preceding block, as shown.

It will here be observed that, looking at the end of the blocks or slabs, they have a Z- shaped appearance, with the incline or body much thicker than the arms of the Z.

A vertical space, C, is left to be lled with gravel or concrete, and, if found more convenient, a V-shaped space may be easily formed by beveling the edge D of the block for the same purpose-that is, for affording a sure footing for horses passing over the pavement.

The blocks are laid upon the natural foundation of the road-bed transversely, so as to break joints, after `it has rst been rolled or battered down with a maul.

Should the grooves become worn away, and others become necessary, a saw with hardened or diamond-pointed teeth might be employed to deepen the grooves of the pavement from time to time. i

Should it become necessary to break and remove the pavement for the introduction of pipe and sewers beneath, I employ shorter blocks or keys E at intervals, laid next to the curb-stone, that admit of any easy separation of the blocks, which would not otherwise be the case if the blocks were all made uniform in length.

If it be' desirable to construct the pavement from a given point crowning transversely with the street, or so that a decline is desired both ways, the apex or key block F is vconstructed with a rabbet at both edges, as shown, and the lip or extended part G of the adjacent block at each side is made to lit closely against the sides and topo` the rabbets in the said key-block.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The described pavement, composed ot blocks having the rabbets B, beveled sides B2, and space C between the blocks, as and for the purpose described.

2. The blocks or keys F, provided with doublesurface rabbets B2, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

WELLS KILBURN. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

C. W. M. SMITH,- A. G. ANTHONY. 

